Clutch mechanism.



i G. R. GE'THBR. CLUTCH MEOHANISM. APPLIOATION FILED MAR. 30, 1909.

923,965. Patented June 8, 1909.

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Witness es Inventor,

n. :4 'r E NORRIS PETERS ca, walk/mercy.

U; R. GETHER.

CLUTCH v MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 30, 1909.

923,965. Patented June 8, 1909.

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UNITED sTArpsi rENT OFFICE.

CHARLES R. GETHER, OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN.

CLUTCH MECHANISM.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES R. GETHER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Milwa-ukee, in the county of Milwaukee and State ofWisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in ClutchMechanism, of which the following is a specilication, reference beinghad to the accompanying drawing, forming a part thereof.

The main objects of this invention are to provide a clutch attachmentwhich can be readily applied to printing presses and other machines themain shafts of which project a short distance from their driving pulleysor wheels; to readily adapt a clutch operating lever for attachment tothe fioor or foundation on which such machines stand to clutches atdifferent distances from the floor or foundation; to take the weight ofthe lever. off from the clutch shaft or spindle; and generally toimprove the construction and operation of devices of this class.

It consists in certain novel features of construction and in thepeculiar arrangement and combination of parts as hereinafterparticularly described and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawing like characters designate the same parts inthe several figures.

Figure 1 is an axial section on the line 1 1, Fig. 2, of clutchmechanism embodying the present invention; Fig. 2 is a cross section onthe line 2 2, Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a detail plan view of the cam, forspreading the severed friction ring; and Fig. 4: is a side elevation ofthe clutch operating lever and its connections.

a is a wheel or pulley, in the present instance a cone pulley, looselymounted on a shaft 7) which projects at one end a short distancetherefrom, as shown in Fig. 1. This wheel or pulley is formed orprovided with an internal circular friction rim 0 which as in thepresent case, may be one of the belt rims of a pulley such as iscommonly mounted on the driving or main shaft of printing presses andother machines.

(Z is a severed elastic friction ring loosely fitted within the rim 0 ofthe wheel or pulley a and having its hub e fastened by set bolts f orother means on the end of the shaft 6, which projects from the hub ofthe wheel or pulley a. The hub of the wheel or pulley a is looselyconfined on the shaft 6 between the hub e of the friction ring and acollar 9 on Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed March 30, 1909.

Patented June 8, 1909.

Serial No. 486,733.

I said shaft. The hub e of the friction ring is formed or provided witha spindle or extension h in line with the shaft 6. Upon this spindle orextension is loosely mounted an axially movable coned andcircumferentially grooved collar 2', which is retained thereon by a capor washer j, screwed or otherwise fastened to the end of the spindle.

In a recess or inward offset of the friction ring (Z adjacent to itsends or the break 76 therein, as shown in Fig. 2, is loosely fitted acam Z of elliptical or oblong shape. This cam is formed with or fixed ona radial stem m, which is fitted to turn in bearings provided thereforin the hub e and in the offset portion of the friction ring. On thisstem is fixed a curved or elbow-shaped arm n, in the free end of whichis threaded an adjusting screw 0 projecting radially inward therefrominto the path of the coned collar 2'. This screw is securely held inplace in the arm by a lock nut 32. A spring 9 connecting the arm a withthe friction ring cl draws the free end of the arm toward the spindle hand holds the inner end of the adjusting screw 0 in engagement with thespindle h or collar 71.

For shifting the collar 2' and engaging and disengaging the clutchmembers, a lever constructed and arranged as shown in Fig. 4, isemployed. This lever comprises a tubular T-shaped shank r, and an arm 8inserted and adjustably secured in the stem of the shank by a set screw25. The lever is fulcrumed to a floor bracket u by a bolt passingthrough the tubular cross piece of the shank and inclined perforatedears on the bracket obliquely to the base of the bracket. The lever arm8 is secured by a set screw in a hub of a ring '0 surrounding the collarz and provided on opposite sides thereof with adjusting screws w, whichpivotally engage at their inner ends with bearing blocks as fitting intothe groove of said collar. In line with the arm 8 an extension or handle2 is secured by a set screw in a hub on the opposite side of said ring.

I In setting the lever and adjusting it to a machine, the bracket u isbolted or screwed to the floor or foundation on which the machine rests,the set screw t is loosened, the ring a: is placed around the collar zand the bearing blocks .9 are adjusted by the screws 40 in the groove ofsaid collar, the ring 0) being held concentric with the collar while theset bolt t is tightened and the lever arm is secured in adjustedposition in the shank r.

The collar 2 and the shaft or spindle on which it is mounted are thusrelieved from the weight of the operating lever and allowed to run freewithout wear.

In the operation of the clutch to lock the wheel or pulley a on theshaft 1), the operating lever is swung toward said wheel or pulleythereby thrusting the coned end of the collar 2 between the spindle /1Vand the screw 0 and swinging the free end of the arm 2'1 outwardly fromthe axis of the clutch. The cam Z is thereby turned so as to spread orexpand the friction ring (1 into fast engagement with the rim 0 of thewheel or pulley a, and the two parts are thus held by the engagement ofthe straight or cylindrical face of the collar 2 with the screw 0without pressure on the operating lever.

To release the wheel or pulley a from the shaft 7), the lever is swungoutward, thereby withdrawing the collar 2' from engagement with thescrew 0, whereupon the spring (1 drawing the free end of the arm 21inwardly. turns the cam Z into the position in which it is shown in thedrawing and permits the friction ring (Z to contract and release itshold in the rim 0. By the adjustment of the screw 0 in or out, thefriction ring (Z may be expanded more or less and caused to en gage moreor less tightly with the rim c as may be desired, when the collar 2' isthrust between the spindle 72, and said screw.

Various changes in minor details of construction and arrangement ofparts may be made without materially affecting the operation of themechanism and without departing from the principle of the invention.

I claim:

1. In clutch mechanism the combination of a shaft provided with acollar, a severed expansible friction ring having a hub detachablyfastened 011 the end of said shaft and a spindle projecting from its hubin line with said shaft, a. wheel having a hub loosely mounted on saidshaft between said collar and the hub of said ring and a friction rimloosely fitting over said ring, an axially movable coned collar mountedon said spindle, and a radially disposed stem provided with a cam forexpanding said ring and with a bent arm projecting into the path of saidconed collar.

2. In clutch mechanism the combination with a wheel having a frictionrim and a shaft passing loosely through the hub of said wheel, of asevered friction ring loosely fitted within said rim and having its hubfixed on the end of said shaft and provided with a spindle in linetherewith, the hub of said wheel being confined between the hub of saidring and a collar on said shaft, cam fixed on a radial stem and looselyfitting in a recess or offset in said ring adj acent to the breaktherein, an axially moveable coned collar mounted on said spindle, alever engaging said collar, an arm fixed on the cam stem andv providedat its free end with a radial adjusting screw projecting into the pathof said coned collar, and a spring drawing the free end of said armtoward the axis of the clutch, substantially as described.

3. .In clutch mechanism the combination with the clutch shaft orspindle, of an axially movable coned collar mounted thereon, a floorbracket having separated perfo rated cars, a tubular lever shank havinga tubular cross piece pivoted to said bracket by a bolt passing throughsaid ars and cross piece, and a lever arm engaging said collar andadjustablv secured in said shank, sub stantially as described.

r. In clutch mechanism the eombimition with the clutch shaft or spindle,of an axially movable coned collar mounted thereon, a floor bracket,atubular lever shank pivoted to said bracket in a line oblique to itsbase, and a lever arm adjustably secured in said shank and engaging saidcollar, substantially described.

5. In clutch mechanism the combination with a shaft or spindle and a.coned and grooved collar movable axially thereon, of a ring surroundingsaid collar and pro vided on opposite sides with radially disposedscrews and at right angles thereto with hubs, bearing blocks pivoted onsaid screws and fitting into the groove of said collar, :1 floor brackethaving separated per forated cars, a tubular lever shank having atubular cross piece pivoted to said bracket; by a bolt passing throughsaid ears and cross piece, an arm secured at one end in one of the hubsof said ring and adjustably secured at the other end in said tubularshank. andv a handle secured in the other hub of said ring,substantially as described.

In witness whereof I hereto atiix my nature in presence of twowitnesses.

CHARLES R. GETHER.

\Vitnesses FRED PALM, CnAs. L. Goss.

